Airborne 08.18.17

Al-Qaeda Forces Reportedly Have Seized The Wreckage

A Predator UAV which may have been involved in spying over Yemen
has gone down, according to police officials there. Reports
indicate that Al-Qaeda forces have been able to make off with the
wreckage of the downed drone.

Predator B File Photo

The aircraft reportedly went down in the village of Jahayn in
the Abyan provice Tuesday. Al-Qaeda is known to have a large
presence in the region. A police official identified the wreckage
as being that of a Predator, and that enemy forces had managed to
seize what was left of the aircraft, according to a report from the
French news service AFP.

Additional Predators have been deployed in the region since
November, and are able to carry both reconnaissance gear and
ordinance. Yemen has come under increasing pressure from Washington
to assist in finding Al Qaeda operatives since a plot to bring down
aircraft using packages shipped on airliners was uncovered in
December. The person thought to be responsible for the plot was
allegedly trained in Yemen.